Any get an ablation/rhizotomy for back pain? Results? Do it again?

Mayo Clinic Jacksonville
Dr Nottmeier neurosurgeon.
Need a doctor's referral to see him.

Thanks for the referral. Question - why do I need a doc’s referral? Just curious.
K

Hi One of surgeons said yesterday that he would suggest I try the ablation with pain doc of medial nerve and not the stimulators. He hasn’t seen much success with them. usually last effect post surgery that failed to take care of pain.

He also had just returned from training on a new procedure to permanently surgically remove this nerve. He said this may be available in a year or so? Anyone know anything about this?

Tam

Hey Tam,

Thanks for the info. While I am afraid to do something as permanent as a rhizotomy (ablation). I think I should be more afraid of the potential for infection that the neural stimulator may cause.

When I think of the surgery to implant it into my body (likely in the abdomen), with wires running internally to the site - lower back - the possibility of them getting dislodged, with another surgery to reattach them.

Heck, if the worse that happens with a failed ablation is continued pain, with no risk of paralysis, being made worse or infection - I may do the ablation.

I keep changing my mind…….

Hello. My husband sees a pain specialist and had the cortisone shots that didn’t last. He had the ablations done over two years ago with much improvement. He was told the nerves will grow back eventually and the procedure may have to be repeated then. In the meantime his back pain is improved.

I have decided against
trying the stimulator but am looking into the ablation this upcoming week. I am also going to call this surgeon’s assistant to see what the procedure he just trained on is called.

I will report back. IF the ablation takes away stabbing pain on my left side, it could buy me another year.

And if there is a permanent way to remove this nerve by then… maybe that will be a longer term solution and I can watch and see how quickly scoliosis progresses along with stenosis before resorting to a fusion. lots of if’s!
Tam

The docs told me an ablation is not permanent, but can last longer than an epidural. The nerve is electronically burned I think, but eventually grows back.
My pain dr has done 2 diagnostic injections on my neck with the goal of a reduction in pain of more than, is it 50% ? If it works, it leads to an ablation on that nerve.
The reduction in pain was good for a few hours the first time, not much the 2nd time.
I’m thinking it won’t help much if at all to do an ablation on me.
I hope it helps for you, if you decide to do it!
My neurosurgeon is going to do an emg to trace the origins of nerve pain (I hope!) then do a nerve block. In hopes of finding the source of pain, I wish you much success in finding yours!

Yes I have been told ablation is temporary up to 9 months if it works. The more permanent medial nerve surgery sounds very new even if the ablation works. I have had two EMG’s and consulted with 5 surgeons and am struggling for consensus. I did learn new things from my last EMG. A friend successfully manages her pain with epidurals and nerve blocks along with gabapentin. Good luck with the nerve block. Keep us posted.

I had radio frequency nerve ablations back in 2016 about nine month after falling hard on my back and buttocks. Epidural injections provided about two weeks of pain mitigation, Then I had the nerve ablations done on L5-S1. No noticeable difference. Can't speak for anyone else.

I have had ablation on lower back. They do help with my pain. Left side, which was the worst, lasted 6 months. The right side is still working at 10 months.